Romeo Dallaire - Shake Hands With the Devil. The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda

Shake Hands with the Devil: A Heart-Wrenching Account of Genocide

In Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire takes us on a harrowing journey into the heart of the Rwandan genocide. As the force commander of the UN peacekeeping mission in 1993, Dallaire witnessed firsthand the unimaginable horrors of the 100-day slaughter of 800,000 Rwandans.

Dallaire's account is not simply a chilling narrative of events. It is a raw and unflinching exploration of the devastating consequences of international inaction and the moral complexities of peacekeeping. The book delves into the profound failures of the international community, exposing the stark reality of betrayal, naiveté, racism, and the tangled web of international politics that allowed the genocide to unfold.

Dallaire's narrative is deeply personal, as he recounts his own struggle to cope with the trauma of what he witnessed. He reveals his own journey from a confident soldier to a man burdened with guilt and disillusionment, grappling with the devastating weight of witnessing such profound human suffering.

Shake Hands with the Devil is a poignant reminder of the fragility of peace and the urgent need for global accountability. It is a testament to the human capacity for both unimaginable cruelty and extraordinary courage.

General Dallaire's account is a powerful call to action, urging us to confront our own complicity in the face of injustice and to never again allow such atrocities to occur.

About the Author: Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire is a retired Canadian soldier who served as the force commander of the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada and is a vocal advocate for peace and human rights.